Sun, Sand & Sky-High Fares: Can Goa's Tourism Buzz Beat The Airfare Blues?
Goa's never-slowing crowd is back in full swing, but as the state rides the wave of a booming tourism season, there's a storm brewing overhead—sky-high airfare.
This year, ticket prices to Goa during the peak season touched new heights—sometimes higher than international fares—worrying both travellers and the state government.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is preparing to take the issue to the Centre, seeking intervention to cap or regulate fares during the most crucial tourism months. In a move that reflects growing concern among stakeholders, the chief minister plans to formally write to the government to push for more affordable air travel to the beach state. 'When domestic tickets cost more than a trip abroad, it starts hurting Goa's core travel economy," Sawant told CNN-News18.
Despite the airfare worries, Goa is seeing impressive tourist turnout—even in the off-season. Monsoon in Goa has gone from being a 'slow period' to a magnet for travellers seeking lush greenery, peaceful beaches, and quieter stays.
In fact, hotel occupancy currently ranges between 80–90 per cent, and villas across the state are booked to full occupancy.
What's changed? Quite a bit. The Goa government has overhauled how tourism properties are managed, with mandatory registration of all villas. There's now a simplified single-window clearance system and only five permits are required to run a tourism unit. Online registration has been introduced to reduce red tape and keep middlemen out as part of a broader push to formalise the tourism economy and make the state more travel- and investor-friendly.
'Goa is also placing women's safety at the front and centre. The innovative Pink Force, with female officers in pink uniforms, now responds to women's distress calls within five minutes—a model many other states could take cues from," Sawant told CNN-News18.
In a bid to protect its environment, Goa has also restricted tourists from bringing camping or self-cooking gear across borders. It has also allocated Rs 400 crore for waste management and banned all dance bars state-wide. When it comes to gaming, the rules are clear—only six off-shore casinos are allowed, while others in five-star hotels are permitted mechanised games only. The government is now embracing cutting-edge tech, including Artificial Intelligence, to boost smart tourism and visitor experience.
As per official data, Goa saw a combined tourism growth of 8.65 per cent in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs)
2024 (Jan–May): 40.68 lakh
2025 (Jan–May): 43.75 lakh
Growth: 7.57 per cent
April 2025 stood out with a 12.22 per cent jump, while May showed signs of saturation with only 0.76 per cent growth.
Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs)
2024 (Jan–May): 1.66 lakh
2025 (Jan–May): 2.45 lakh
Growth: 47.55 per cent
January 2025 saw an 83.25 per cent rise in international visitors, though the momentum slowed sharply by May.
With a global spotlight on India and foreign interest growing, Goa is eager to keep its beaches open, its economy buzzing, and its skies more affordable.
So, can cheaper air tickets become the next big tourism booster? That's what the state hopes to achieve.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
39 minutes ago
- India.com
Bad news for commuters! Ola, Uber, inDrive, Rapido can now charge double fare during peak hrs, extra amount to be paid if driver has to travel…; Check new guidelines
Home Business Bad news for commuters! Ola, Uber, inDrive, Rapido can now charge double fare during peak hrs, extra amount to be paid if driver has to travel…; Check new guidelines Bad news for commuters! Ola, Uber, inDrive, Rapido can now charge double fare during peak hrs, extra amount to be paid if driver has to travel…; Check new guidelines These new rules will now also cover auto-rickshaws and bike taxis. Each state government will be responsible for deciding the base fare for different vehicle types like taxis, autos, and bike taxis. The government has made a big change in how much cab companies like Ola, Uber, inDrive, and Rapido can charge during peak hours. Earlier, these companies were only allowed to increase fares up to 1.5 times the base fare during busy times. But now, under new rules, they can charge up to 2 times the base fare during peak hours. At the same time, during less busy hours, they cannot lower the fare below 50 per cent of the base fare. This is to make sure drivers still earn a fair amount, even when demand is low. States given 3 months to follow the new rules According to the Times of India, the central government has asked all states to put these rules into action within three months. The goal is to reduce the burden on passengers during high-demand times while also stopping companies from offering heavy discounts that create unfair competition. In short, the government wants to make pricing more balanced for both passengers and drivers. New rules on ride cancellations and fines The government has introduced clear rules for both drivers and passengers when a ride is cancelled: If a driver accepts a ride on the app but later cancels it without a valid reason, a penalty of 10 per cent of the fare or Rs. 100 (whichever is lower) will be charged. This fine will be shared between the driver and the company. If a passenger cancels the booking without a valid reason, the same penalty (10 per cent of fare or up to Rs. 100) will apply to them too. Insurance now mandatory for drivers All cab companies will now need to make sure their drivers have: At least Rs. 5 lakh health insurance, and At least Rs. 10 lakh term life insurance Who will decide the base fares? These new rules will now also cover auto-rickshaws and bike taxis. Each state government will be responsible for deciding the base fare for different vehicle types like taxis, autos, and bike taxis. For example: In Delhi and Mumbai, taxi base fares are around Rs. 20–21 per km In Pune, the base fare is about Rs. 18 per km If a state has not fixed a base fare yet, then the cab company must set a fare and inform the state government about it. These changes aim to make fares fair and services more reliable for everyone, drivers and riders alike. No more charges for 'empty ride' distance Here's some good news for passengers: you will not have to pay for the distance the driver covers to reach your pickup point. This is called the 'empty ride' fare, and it's now been removed. If the driver has to travel less than 3 kilometers to pick you up, then a small charge may apply. In all other cases, fare will be calculated only from the time the trip starts until it ends at your destination. New safety measures for passengers To make rides safer, the government has made some new rules: Every cab must now have a Vehicle Location and Tracking Device (VLTD). This tracking info should be available to both the cab company and the state government's control center. Driver training made mandatory All companies will have to give their drivers a refresher training course every year. Drivers who fall in the bottom 5 per cent rating group (based on how long they've worked with the company) must go through this training every 3 months. If these drivers do not attend the training, they will not be allowed to drive on the company's platform. These steps are meant to improve safety, service quality, and trust in ride-sharing platforms for everyone. For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Business News on
News18
39 minutes ago
- News18
Ola, Uber Can Now Charge Double During Peak Hours, Bad Weather. Here's How It Will Hurt Your Pocket
Last Updated: If the base fare of a ride is Rs 100, the minimum the cab providers have to charge is Rs 50 and they can take it up to Rs 200 under surge pricing The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allowed cab aggregators—including Ola, Uber and Rapido—to charge up to twice the base fare from passengers under dynamic pricing during rush or peak hours and bad weather. The ministry issued the Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, on Tuesday that also allowed the cab providers to lower the fare up to 50 per cent below the base fare during off-peak or low-demand periods. State governments have three months to adopt the revised guidelines. So far, while the minimum limit was 50 per cent lower than the base fare, the upper limit was 1.5 times only. 'The aggregator shall be permitted to charge a minimum of 50 per cent lower than the base fare and a maximum dynamic pricing of two times the base fare," the ministry said. Impact on Pocket So, if the base fare of a ride is Rs 100, the minimum the cab providers have to charge is Rs 50 and they can take it up to Rs 200 under surge pricing. State governments will set and notify base fares for each vehicle category. 'The base fare chargeable shall be for a minimum of three (3) kilometers to compensate for dead mileage including the distance travelled without a passenger and the distance travelled and fuel utilised for picking up the passenger(s)," MORTH said in the policy. The ministry also said that no passenger will be charged for dead mileage, except when the pickup point is less than three kilometres from the cab's location. In cases where the distance is more than 3 kilometres, the fare will apply only from pickup to drop-off—not for the distance covered to reach the passenger. No Change In Cancellation Charges In case a passenger cancels a booking after confirmation on the app, a fee of 10 per cent of the fare, not exceeding Rs 100, can be collected, when such cancellation is made without a valid reason and duly and specifically mentioned on the website and app of the aggregator, the ministry said. This amount will have to be divided between the driver and the aggregator. Revision after 2020 In 2020, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued the 'Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020" under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The guidelines provided a regulatory framework for state governments to issue licences and regulate aggregators in the road transport sector. 'Since 2020, India's shared mobility ecosystem has undergone rapid and significant change. The rise in demand for diverse and flexible mobility solutions including bike-sharing, introduction of electric vehicles (EVs), and auto-rickshaw rides, has widened the consumer base," the Ministry explained. As the travel preferences evolve, aggregators have expanded their services to meet these new demands through innovative models. 'The Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020 have been revised to keep the regulatory framework up to date with the developments in the motor vehicles aggregator ecosystem. The new guidelines attempt to provide a light-touch regulatory system while attending to issues of safety & security of the user and the welfare of the driver," the ministry stated.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Travel Food Services IPO opens on July 7; price band fixed at Rs 1,045–1,100/share
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel Mumbai-based Travel Food Services is set to launch its Rs 2,000-crore initial public offering (IPO) on July 7, with the issue closing on July 9. The price band has been fixed at Rs 1,045 to Rs 1,100 per IPO is entirely an offer-for-sale (OFS) by promoter Kapur Family Trust , meaning no fresh equity will be issued and all proceeds will go to the selling shareholder. A discount of Rs 104 per share will be offered to eligible anchor book will open on July 4, and the allotment of shares is expected by July 10. Trading on the stock exchanges is scheduled to begin on July Read: 10 Nifty smallcaps with up to 29 buy calls; analysts see up to 26% upside Investors can bid for a minimum of 13 equity shares and in multiples thereof. Of the total offer, 50% is reserved for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), 15% for non-institutional investors (NIIs), and 35% for retail by the UK-based SSP Group plc and the Kapur Family Trust, Travel Food Services operates India's largest network of travel quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and airport lounges . Out of its 413 outlets, 384 are located in airports. The company has a presence across 14 Indian airports and three overseas locations—two in Malaysia and one in Hong also runs 37 lounges, including 28 private airport lounges in India, covering 10 domestic airports—making it the country's largest lounge the company posted a 27.4% rise in profit to Rs 379.7 crore in FY25, with revenue up 20.9% year-on-year to Rs 1,687.7 approved the IPO on April 22, following the company's draft filing on December 10, 2024. The issue is being managed by Kotak Mahindra Capital, HSBC Securities, ICICI Securities, and Batlivala & Karani Securities.
